In The Balance
by Jinn Strider
Summary: [Phantom Brave] Ash questions his place in the human world, and in Marona's life. Tragic consequences of a girl who dances with ghosts. Ash x Marona.
1. Chapter 1

To start it off, I DO NOT own Phantom Brave, or anything of it. Nippon Ichi , Atlus, and all other participating parties are proper and respectful owners of it. What I write, is merely fiction of the story they have graced us with.

This story has no set period. I'm only on chapter 10 on the game, so sadly I don't know what happens next. So I will let the readers decide upon themselves which time this story exists.

Anyways, this is Chapter 1 of 2. Though it may be one of my shorter fics, I hope you enjoy it. I have bad grammar skills, so you will have to bear with me there.

Enjoy!

* * *

Ash gazed into his right hand as it glowed. If looked at closely, it's transparent. He closed his hand softly, then opening it again. He reached out grabbing a rock, holding it in his ghostly hand. The rock dropped when he cleared his mind.

_Only thinking about lifting a rock makes it happen. I have to want to hold it…to actually hold it._

His eyes lowered halfway before continuing his thoughts.

_I'm not even here…_

Ash then disappeared, reappearing 5 feet away. Picking up a rock from the grassy surface, he cast the stone into the body of water that surrounded the island. On the corner of his eye, he could observe the house that sat on the land. A light in the upstairs room stay lit.

"Marona...I'm supposed to protect you. How can I when I'm not there?"

Thoughts ran through his head as he stared at various objects. Some stones, some trees, all could have a phantom 'confined' into it. He chuckled to himself over the thought.

"Confined…like a prison with no bars."

He walked towards the house, observing a few of the other phantoms that were outside. He jumped lightly, propelling himself into the air, touching down on the balcony that was on top of the house. The wind was slightly stronger when higher in the air. It blew freely, blowing his scarf randomly through the air.

"Even now, I feel nothing."

Looking down, there was a small boarded area of the roof that remained exposed in a small area. From the angle he stood at, he could see Marona sitting on her bed. She held the shell necklace that Castile had given her. He made himself transparent, letting his ghostly figure slip through the floors, landing in Marona's room.

He moved closer, observing Marona as she stared into the shell. A few words escaped from her mouth as she gazed.

"I wish…I had a real friend."

Ash lowered his eyes, thinking.

_Castile is her friend, and I am her…guardian. Nothing more...?_

He solidified himself, standing in front of Marona. She jumped back, hiding the shell necklace under her feathered pillow. She looked into his cold eyes, which reflected nothing, no emotion, just empty space.

"Ash! W-what are you doing?"

Ash shook his head.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

Marona sat on her knees, looking down at the wooden floor.

"Is there something you need?"

Ash took a step back.

"No. I was just checking on you."

Marona seemed to wipe her eyes, before raising her face with curiosity and worry. She had doubts in her mind of Ash's statement.

"Something's wrong with you."

"How can you tell?" Ash replied.

"What do you mean?"

Ash lifted his right hand again, looking into it. Marona stared at him, seeing the figure as if it wasn't there.

"I'm not there. I have no physical expressions. I'm a dead shell, both physically and in my phantom form."

Marona stepped off her bed, moving in front of Ash. She looked into his red eyes; they appeared to have no glow. Ash looked into her, seeing a lively green. She had an aura like a living person, and that aura shined brightly than any phantoms would. He extended his right hand to Marona's height, then breaking the silence shortly after.

"Touch my hand."

Marona raised her hand to his.

"What do you feel?"

Marona looked at his hand, and as she felt it, she only felt the cool air.

"I don't feel anything. But that's because you're in your Phantom form."

Marona placed her left hand on the dresser nearby. Her energy traveled through the objects, reaching a small coat stand where Ash stood on top of; or inside of. A bright light shined, traveling from the top to the bottom. The light revealed Ash's head, slowly down to his feet.

"I feel your hand now."

Ash's hand was loose, while Marona gripped firmly.

"You feel me now. But am I anything? You don't feel my body heat. You can't feel my heart beat, and you can't feel me at all."

Marona looked down to the floor again, lightening her grip on Ash's hand.

"Sorry. Maybe I didn't do it right. I just need a little more practice and maybe-"

Ash shook his head, pulling from Marona's.

"There isn't anything you can do."

Marona listened in closely as Ash interrupted, and then continued his statement.

"I'm not alive, I'm not dead. I'm neither."

Marona's face revealed a tear, running off of her cheek that shined from the moonlight. Ash stopped where he was in his thoughts, lightening his tone to balance the situation.

"Sorry Marona. It's not your fault."

"My mom and dad-"

Ash listened as Marona finally gave a response.

"They gave their lives to save you. But it failed, right?"

Ash nodded. He lifted a part of his scarf, wiping a few of the tears that drenched her eyes.

"Then you swore to protect me."

"It…was the least I could do." Ash replied.

Marona looked into his eyes once more before continuing.

"Is…that the only reason your with me?"

Ash had a confused look on his face.

"What do you mean?"

Marona backed away, sitting on her bed.

"Never mind."

Ash walked toward her, kneeling down.

"Really, what is it?"

Marona lay on the bed, turning to the side opposite from Ash. She brightened her tone, replying quickly with a shaky voice.

"It's nothing. I'm…going to bed. Good night"

Ash shook his head in response.

_Marona…if you would just talk to me a little more, I might be able to help._

Ash was confident for the moment over his thought, then rethinking it.

_Then again, how could I help? Stay confined to some object for a little while…some help that will do._

A bright light filled the room as Ash began to deform. The light revealed the coat stand that Ash was confined to. His ghostly figure left the room, going down the stairs. Once Marona felt his presence leave, she opened her eyes once more.

"Maybe…I'm not his friend. Maybe he is only doing it because of my mom and dad. Maybe…he doesn't like me at all."

Marona let tears run freely from her eyes as her depressed thoughts ran through her head like a broken record. Eventually, she fell asleep in the darkness that the world left her in.

* * *

Turned out nicely, a bit more angst-y than I thought. I would greatly appreciate it if you reviewed, as I do not know what the community thinks without them.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

After a long...maybe too long wait, I never put the second chapter to this up. A friend pokes reminded me I left this shaking in the wind...anyway, I'm going to update, for once...

By the way, I quote a song at the end of the fic, I do NOT own the song, the group/band, nothing of it...just a quote. Anything pertaining to the song and/or band is completly seperate with what I, or this fic has to do with it. That and same For NIS America/Nippon Ichi Software, and their property on their characters.

* * *

It was a few nights since the last, Ash was outside again, as Marona was in the small cottage in the middle of the island. Many phantoms were about the island, reappearing, and disappearing.

Ash observed two phantoms talking...

"Was a straining day..." The female phantom said.

"No doubt. We should go to a fancy resturaunt sometime..." The male phantom replied.

The two continued talking, but Ash stopped paying attention from there. He thought to himself...

_They...pretend. We don't need food, we do not exist...we'd be depositing food into whatever we were confined to. It isn't satisfying in anyway, nor beneficial...pretending, pretending to be there...when I...we, really aren't._

Ash stepped down from the hill, slowly, passing other phantoms. Most seem to not even notice him. Though Ash usually refused speaking to any of Marona's other 'gaurdians'. He climbed the fleet of 12 stairs, reaching the back balcony area. The curtain was closed, but a candle was lit in the room.

He dematerialized, walking through the door. Marona was in the room, cleaning it with a home-made duster. The blue glowing figure approached her. Swallowing his pride and sorrow, he smiled and greeted her.

"Hey Marona! Cleaning?"

Marona turned around, facing Ash. A tear was running down her cheek. Ash's smile disappeared, and he looked at her worried.

"What's wro-"

"It's nothing! Just...dust, allergies." Marona interrupted, whiping her eye quickly.

Ash sat on the bed, watching her as she continued cleaning. She hadn't said a word after, neither did he. She continued cleaning, but was moving quickly and nervously.

"What are you doing here? Is there something you need?" Marona said grimly, almost angry, at the same time sadly.

"I...sorry...I'll leave..." Ash disappeared completly, from the room. Marona felt his presence disappear.

"Ash...wait..." she whispered, then she let the duster fall from her hands, and she dropped to her knees.

She plagued her mind with the constant pain that she felt.

_I've been alone forever...as long as I can remember...well...not alone...I've got Ash...but he never knows what to say...he's always there, if we're doing work...but never just to...be..._

Marona shook her head.

"Only because I drive him away..."

* * *

Later that evening, late in the night...

The moon shined light on the beaches of Phantom Isle, while the waves rammed into the sand constantly. The waves were louder tonight, there was a mild breeze.

A phantom stood on the sand, observing his sourroundings. All the other phantoms had dematerialized into the 'middle dimension'.

"They need not sleep...yet the sleep...they don't need to eat, but they eat..."

Ash sighed, walking around the beach that sourrounded the island.

"Jasmine...what do I do? I can't be there...for her. She needs someone...better. A _real_ gaurdian...a parent...a friend...someone to love."

Ash laughed, staring at his clean hands, no scratches or bruises, no scars or cuts. His form was preserved as if he never had even touched a thing.

"I don't even feel like crying. When I'm angry, I don't feel like hitting something. When I'm hapy, I don't feel like smiling..."

Ash turned around, reaching his hand out to the house.

"So how can I be there for her! Jasmine, tell me something!"

The noise was not heard. Only Chromas could hear and sense phantoms activities, the air didn't even carry physical sound. Walking to the small house...

Marona laid on the bed, curled up under the voers and blankets, letting out the small sounds of crying. In her mind, the memories played like a carousel.

Ash walked slowly, reminiscing on the times that they've been through.

* * *

Wasteland, by 10 Years

A memory that Marona remembered, from when she was young...

Marona sat against the building, quietly as all the other children played.

_Crouched over,  
You were not there ,  
Living in fear_

An invisibly figure walked to her, sitting next to her. Nodding at her, as she sat.

"Ash...why don't I have parents?" Ash was silent in reply to Marona's question.

_But signs were not really that scarce ,  
Obvious tears...  
And I, will not ,  
Hide you through this,_

Another memory flashed in Ash's mind, this time.

_I want you to help,  
Please see ,  
The bleeding heart perched on my shirt ,_

Ash held Haze in his grip. Haze bled violently from the open wounds. Haze pulled Ash close, making out the few words to him.

"Take care...of Jasmine and Marona...please, Ash."

An explosion from the other side of the plains erupted, in the small barn structure Jasmine was in.

_Die, withdraw, Hide in cold sweat,  
Quivering lips , Ignore remorse,  
Naming a kid, living wasteland ,  
This time you've tried ,  
All that you can turning you red,_

Ash ran over to the barn, hitting through the few monsters and creatures that appeared. Tears ran from his eyes, from his lost friend. The fear in his mind ached as he reached the structure. Moving the boards and the debris, he searched for Jasmine.

_Change my attempt, good intentions ,  
Should I, could I ,  
Here we are with your obsession,  
Should I, could I..._

Lifting a big board, Jasmine suffered a blow the the head, and could not open her eyes.

"Jasmine!"

He lifted her up, her clothes were soaked with blood, and she was hardly conscious.

"Wait! What am I supposed to do?Jasmine!"

He quickly lifted her up, carrying her to the town in the distant.She spoke, briefly, and quietly.

"There's...no time, take me to Haze, please."

Wraith chased Ash as he went. Ash grew tired, slowing down, he reached to where Haze was. Wraith shot a ball of energy, knocking him and Jasmine down. Jasmine landed next Haze.

_Crowned hopeless,  
The article read living wasteland,  
This time you've tried ,  
All that you can turning you red ,  
but I, will not ,  
Hide you through this ,  
I want you to help..._

Jasmine quickly took Haze's hand. She nodded to him as Haze stood shakily.

Ash stood in front of them, getting into battle stance.

"For her sake, I will not Fail!"

Wraith quickly rose his fist, while Ash prepared to leap. Haze grabbed Ash's shoulder, stopping him. The fist of Wraith ran into Ash directly causing a light.

_Change my attempt good intentions ,  
Should I, could I ,  
Here we are with your obsession,  
Should I, could I..._

After the light, Wraith's remains were scattered about the floor, amongst it were it's heart and blood, many organs, which mostly existed above the belt line. Ash opened his eyes, and turned around. Haze and Jasmine were completly destroyed, in no better condition then Wraith. Ash stared at himself, screaming in remorse, no clear words, just yells of agony. His body was not even there, it was gone, transported to the dimension between life and death, he had become a Phantom.

"Why! Why did you guys do that? Jasmine! Haze!"

Ash clenched his fist at the thought. He continued walking, and opened the door, as if he were materialized. Closing it behind him.

A memory ran through Marona's mind as she laid in her bed, ignoring the sounds around her.

Faded stepped back, raising his jacket with his energy.

"Come on, girl!"

_Heave the silver hollow sliver ,  
Piercing through another victim ,  
Turn and tremble be judgmental ,  
Ignorant to all the symbols,  
Blind the face with beauty paste ,  
Eventually you'll one day know..._

Ash stepped forward, in battle stance as Faded jumped into the air. He landed, exploding the ground with the energy.

Ash leaped back, raising his blade, and swung continuously, as Faded evaded each strike, hitting Ash in critical areas such as the knees, neck, and wrists with his fists and legs. Ash dropped his sword after taking 8 consecutive shots. The blood dripped from his mouth, while he breathed heavily.

Raising his hands to a fighting stance, Ash leaped forward, hitting Faded right on, launching him into the air. Once in mid air, he grabbed Faded's foot and swung him downards, slamming him into the ground. This technique was known as Ash's 'Rising Dragon'.

_Change my attempt good intentions ,  
Limbs tied, skin tight,  
Self inflicted, his perdition..._

Ash walked up the stairs, into Marona's room. He stepped close to the bed, sitting on it. Her hair was still tied with the small bands she used. It shined green with the moonlight.She sobbed, and sat up, turning to him.

Her tears were not concealed this time, she stared into his eyes, with her teary ones. Marona touched the bed, solidfying Ash's body to the blankets from the bed. Her tears continued to flow.

_Should I, could I,  
Change my attempt good intentions,  
Should I, could I,  
Should I, could I?_

He embraced, her, holding her in his arms. She cried loudly, with the strong weight of the grief she held in for so long. The misery was over, the one she let grow in her heart. Ash's sorrow was subsiding, he rcognized his duty. For friends, he would take care of their daughter, and love her, and be there for her.

"For her sake..."

Marona whispered quietly as he Ash spoke.

"I will not fail..."

* * *

I don't exactly like the way that ended, but I needed to finish this. Though I must say this is a little more emotional then the writing I'm used to, so I filled it with the grief and pain, and the detail that makes people horrified, scared, and scarred, from the events of life. The cold reality that some must face, and live with.

This was a life of a girl who dances with ghosts...

I completly remade the whole scene where Haze and Jasmine die. I don't really remember the original, but the game gave such little story on that anyway. Well, that's the fic, we'll see how it does...

By the way...it's late, and I haven't had the chance to install office on my computer. There is no spell check on word pad, but I've scanned through it a bit, and it looks ok...but sorry for any errors.


End file.
